Just throwing this out there

N2IT

Would getting a masters degree in a foreign language like Mandarin or
Portuguese be more beneficial than getting a degree in a business discipline?

I just asked because communication is the key driver to good business and if you can communicate in several different languages you bring major value to an organization.

Side note

I have two children 3 and 8, and I have told my wife that if my children get to the University and have no clue what they want to do I want them majoring in a marketable foreign language.

Thoughts?

hiddenknight821

It would be awesome if you can encourage your kids to become sign language interpreters for me somedays. That would be awesome!

On serious note, you would probably want them to study something that will provide a ROI. I mean culinary arts is not a waste of talent at all. Almost everyone needs to eat. I don't want your kids to end up like my brother who's still looking for theatre/dancing gigs.

themagicone

America is one of the few, if not the only one, that doesn't require students to know more than 1 language by the time they graduate. France requires 3 (french, English and 1 elective). Dominican Republican students usually know 4 or 5, if not more.

Essendon

I think you might be better off by just learning to speak the language fluently. Doing a Master's, wouldnt that be an overkill? I mean multi-lingual people are an asset to a company, but I dont think a Master's is "needed". But if you were to work as an interpreter/translator or something like that, I guess a person with a Master's in the language would have better job prospects.

jamesleecoleman

By learning different languages you will be very valuable to the company. I suggest checking out the languages the government needs the most like Korean, Russian, or Farsi. If you don't see any of the languages that you think you'll be interested in that the government wants then that's cool too. At least you'll learn a language. I think it would also be a good move to check out the most used languages in your city.

I honestly don't think you'll need a degree in a language and I honestly don't understand why people get a degree in a language. If you can get fluency or near fluency, I think you'll be okay. This is what I've seen on some job requirements. I almost did though but I thought I would save the money and study the languages on my own.

Also, studying a language on your own can be very very difficult and it's easy to loose motivation. It's something you have to want.

Sorry if this is more than you wanted but let me know if you have any more questions so I can help you out as best as I can.

Blackout

Not sure but I know there is allot of HIGH paying jobs for IT's that can speak both English and Japanese.

XiaoTech

Learn what you enjoy. If you are interested in Mandarin, go study Mandarin. Just note that most Chinese companies do business in English (for good paying jobs). Normally people who work jobs that require Mandarin normally make less than those who do business in English (minus professional interpreters/translators). My girlfriend's from China (PRC) and a native Mandarin speaker, so I think I know what I'm talking about.

If you really want to learn it for your own benefit, go wild! Just know you're not going to get much ROI at this point in your life. I minored in Japanese and it really hasn't helped me with my job search (except a job interview for bilingual position with Delta, but I honestly think my personality clashes with that kind of work, but I digress).

Study what you want. A second language will enrich your life. Just don't do it for extra money. You'll never become fluent if that's your main purpose.

Everyone

Not beneficial for an IT career IMHO. Knowing another language would be helpful in low level support jobs, or working in a country that primarily speaks that language, but that's about it.
I work for a major global Fortune 500 corporation. We have locations all over the world, including China and Brazil, since you mentioned Mandarin and Portuguese. Even though I regularly see tickets escalated to me in many different languages, I've never felt the need to learn any of them. The Latin based languages (like Portuguese) I can often figure out before I even have it translated. If something doesn't translate well enough using things like Google translate, I can always send the ticket back to lower level support and ask them to translate before sending it back up.
I've never seen any job listings at my career level requiring knowledge of a foreign language. I have however seen several emphasizing English.

@hiddenknight821, I actually know ASL, although I’m really rusty on it. My mom worked with deaf kids when I was younger, and my ex-wife is deaf. They never have an option for that as a language on anything that asks you what other languages you know. :P

hiddenknight821

Everyone wrote: »

@hiddenknight821, I actually know ASL, although I’m really rusty on it. My mom worked with deaf kids when I was younger, and my ex-wife is deaf. They never have an option for that as a language on anything that asks you what other languages you know. :P

Ugh, don't get me started with some BS application forms! Awesome to know you're "bilingual" too. Many ignorant people don't believe ASL is a language, but that assumption should change once they learn the language.

By the way, how come you dumped your ex-wife?! She ought to be my wife now. Jk. You don't have to tell me here.

Turgon

N2IT wrote: »

Would getting a masters degree in a foreign language like Mandarin or
Portuguese be more beneficial than getting a degree in a business discipline?

I just asked because communication is the key driver to good business and if you can communicate in several different languages you bring major value to an organization.

Side note

I have two children 3 and 8, and I have told my wife that if my children get to the University and have no clue what they want to do I want them majoring in a marketable foreign language.

Thoughts?

I wouldn't bother with a Masters in a language unless you wanted to be a linguistic academic. If languages are your think then by the time you get to post graduate level you should already be very fluent in a language of interest to you. I dont think a one year postgrad course is going to offer you much.

Study a language as part of your Bachelors degree for the international marketability thing.

RobertKaucher

N2IT wrote: »

Would getting a masters degree in a foreign language like Mandarin or
Portuguese be more beneficial than getting a degree in a business discipline?

I just asked because communication is the key driver to good business and if you can communicate in several different languages you bring major value to an organization.

Side note

I have two children 3 and 8, and I have told my wife that if my children get to the University and have no clue what they want to do I want them majoring in a marketable foreign language.

Thoughts?

I speak Portuguese fluently and my current company does tons of business in Brazil. I have never even been approached for my language skills. Of course most people may not know that I speak it and there is no way to promote my knowledge in the organization, so there is that. My personal opinion is that you are probably on to something, though.

whatthehell

I have relatives from Singapore, where everyone is pretty much tri-lingual (usually Malay, mandarin, english).

I don't think a Master's in a foreign language would be as good as learning the foreign language while getting a Master's in Business Admin or IT.

Personally, if I had kids, I would take the top 3 languages in the world, based upon population speaking it, and teach them or learn them with them.

Just my 2 cents.

Zartanasaurus

themagicone wrote: »

America is one of the few, if not the only one, that doesn't require students to know more than 1 language by the time they graduate. France requires 3 (french, English and 1 elective). Dominican Republican students usually know 4 or 5, if not more.

Because it's not really necessary. France is smaller than Texas and is surrounded by German, Italian and Spanish speaking countries. The entire continent of Europe is about the size of the United States. If each state in the US spoke their own language, Americans would be multi-lingual as well. As long as the US is about 25% of the entire world's GDP, learning other languages just isn't that important.